Fix ‘Error Loading Operating System’ with 6 Simple Ways

Updated by

Tracy King 

Last updated on April 28, 2024

Have you ever turned on your computer only to be faced with a black screen displaying an error message that says "Error loading operating system"? This is a common issue that Windows users often encounter. Booting problems usually occur after a power failure, system crash, system restart, or a fresh installation of the Windows operating system.

If you're seeing this error now, don't panic. You can refer to an example on the Microsoft website's support forum: Microsoft Answers Forum.

Now, continue reading this article from the Toolbox to find out how to fix it and what might have caused the startup issue.

Fixing Operating System Load Errors

When you see the "Operating System Not Found" error while starting up your computer, you might need some assistance. This article provides six effective ways to resolve the issue. Read on for more details.

Method 1: Set the Correct Boot Order in BIOS

First, check if your boot order is set correctly. If you have multiple hard drives, the incorrect boot order may cause the issue of selected boot device failed, along with the message "Operating System Not Found" on the screen. Follow the steps below to fix it:

Step 1. Restart your computer and press a specific key (usually F1, F2, F10, Delete, or Esc) repeatedly while it's booting up to enter the BIOS.

Step 2: Use the arrow keys to navigate to the Boot tab.

If the system disk is not first in the boot order, move it to the top of the list.

Step 4: Press 'F10' to save changes and exit.

After you've checked and changed the boot order, your computer should start up normally. If the order is already correct, try another method.

Method 2: Run Boot Repair from the Boot Repair Disk

A powerful and reliable third-party tool can help you with various boot issues. The Professional Edition Partition Master comes with multiple features for managing drives and partitions. Many other utilities in the toolkit can also help you with other issues.

One of those is Boot Repair, which can easily and quickly fix various boot issues.

Step 1. Connect the external drive/USB to your computer and launch the “Partition Master” tool. Select “Bootable Media Creator.”

Step 2: Choose the USB drive or CD/DVD that you want to use, and click "Create." You can also burn the Windows ISO file to media.

Create Bootable Disk of Partition Master

Step 3. Connect the bootable drive to the new computer and press F2 or Del to enter BIOS. Next, set the WinPE bootable drive as the boot disk, and then press F10 to exit.

Step 4. Restart your computer and enter the WinPE interface. Then, open the Partition Master tool and click “Boot Repair” under “Toolbox”.

Step 5: Select the system you want to fix, then click Repair.

Step 6: Wait for a moment, and you'll receive a message that the repair was successful. Click "OK" to finish the startup repair process.

Click Repair to finish the process.

Please restart your computer and see if that resolves the issue. If not, try the next step.

If this solved your issue, don't forget to share this article on your social media!

Method 3: Rebuild MBR with Third-party Software

A corrupted MBR can also cause the “Operating System Not Found” issue, thus compromising the entire boot process and preventing your Windows PC from starting up.

You can still rely on Partition Master tool to fix MBR related boot issues. It has the feature of rebuilding MBR, which allows you to solve the problem quickly and easily.

Step 1: Create a Bootable WinPE Disk

1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, and click "Create Bootable Media" on the toolbar. Select "Create Bootable USB Drive". 2. Click "Next" to finish the process.

Create a Bootable Disk

Step 2. Boot into the Partition Master Live USB

Connect the bootable USB or CD/DVD to your computer. Restart your computer and press F2 or Del to enter BIOS. Set it to boot from “Removable Device” or “CD-ROM Drive.” The Partition Master tool will then launch automatically.

Step 3. Rebuild the MBR

Click on “Toolbox,” and then select “Rebuild MBR.”

Rebuild MBR

Select the disk and MBR type, then click “Rebuild”.

Rebuild MBR

You'll then see “MBR successfully rebuilt on Disk X.”

If the problem is caused by a damaged MBR, this should fix it. If not, proceed to the next step.

Has the issue been resolved? Share this helpful article to assist even more people!

Method 4: Run Startup Repair

"Startup Repair" is a built-in Windows tool that can fix boot issues caused by missing or damaged system files. Follow the guide below to access Startup Repair and resolve "Operating System Load Error" issues in Windows.

Step 1: Connect the Windows installation media USB to your computer and restart.

Step 2: Click on “Repair your computer” on the screen.

Step 3: Click on Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.

Step 4. Restart your computer when the process is done.

This utility can fix many common startup problems with your computer. If this fails, try the next method.

Method 5: Run CHKDSK from the Command Prompt

System partitions might get corrupted due to disk write errors, virus attacks, or power failures, leading to the "An error occurred while loading the operating system" issue. You need to run CHKDSK to check and fix hard drive partition errors.

Step 1. Connect the Windows installation media USB to your computer and reboot.

Step 2: Click on “Repair your computer” on the screen.

Step 3. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.

Step 4: Type chkdsk c: /f /r /x, then hit "Enter." (The "c:" in this command represents the Windows system disk.)

CHKDSK is a built-in Windows utility that can check the overall health of your hard drive. It looks for and fixes bad sectors and other issues.

Method 6: Update the BIOS from the UEFI settings

Another option is to update your BIOS using a USB. An outdated BIOS can also cause this message to appear when starting up your computer. By updating the BIOS, your computer may be fixed and receive performance and stability improvements.

Step 1. Check the user manual to find out the model of your motherboard.

Step 2: Go to the website of your motherboard manufacturer. Find and download the latest BIOS update.

Step 3. Connect a USB drive with no files on it.

Step 4: Copy the contents of the downloaded BIOS update file to the USB drive.

Step 5: Connect the USB drive to the computer that needs fixing.

Step 6. Hold down a specific key (usually F1, F2, F10, Delete, or Esc) to enter the BIOS.

Step 7: Enter your BIOS and set it to boot from USB.

Step 8. Navigate to the USB drive and select the BIOS file.

Step 9. Acknowledge the notification when prompted by the BIOS.

The BIOS update will take two to three minutes to complete. When it's done, you can restart your computer.

Because incorrect operations can lead to catastrophic problems, you should exercise great care when updating the BIOS. In addition, BIOS firmware can become corrupted during an update if the power is lost.

Why Does "Error Loading Operating System" Occur?

All you'll see is a warning that the operating system failed to load, so it can be difficult to tell what's keeping your computer from starting. Here are some common reasons why Windows might fail to load:

Conclusions

If you encounter the "Operating System Not Found" issue when starting your computer, you can try troubleshooting with the methods mentioned above. This article offers six practical solutions. For Windows beginners, it's always a good idea to rely on dependable tools like Partition Master to easily resolve various boot issues. It boasts multiple features to fix your PC and get it back to normal. Additionally, it's highly recommended to back up all crucial data to prevent potential data loss.

Frequently Asked Questions about "Error Loading Operating System"

Here are some questions related to the topic. Check them out to see if you have any similar inquiries.

Where does the operating system boot from?

An operating system is stored on a hard disk. However, at boot time, it is copied into RAM, where it runs more quickly. The BIOS (basic input-output system) performs this task.

2. What is loading an operating system?

A bootloader is used to load an operating system. It loads the OS as well as larger programs, like a boot loader.

3. What does "An error occurred while loading the operating system" mean in VMware Windows XP?

"Error loading operating system" means that the boot process couldn't get past the very early stages. This is likely because the virtual machine you created is incompatible with the older one.